Hauser & Wirth Cleared by UK Judge of Breaching Russia Sanctions with Sale of a George Condo Artwork
A UK judge dismissed criminal charges alleging that Hauser & Wirth breached Russia sanctions by selling a George Condo work to Alexander Popov, with Judge Tony Baumgardner ruling prosecutors failed to prove Popov was a “person connected with Russia” at the time of the 2022 sale. His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) brought the charges in November 2025, in what was described as the first such accusation under the relevant law, and also charged the Marylebone-based shipping company Artay Rauchwerger Solomons. The artwork at issue was Condo’s work on paper Escape from Humanity (2021), and Hauser & Wirth argued DHL mistakenly entered a Moscow address instead of one in Armenia, while noting Popov was not sanctioned and had renounced Russian citizenship. The case unfolded against UK sanctions introduced in March 2022, including a ban on exporting artworks worth over £250 ($335) to Russia or for use in Russia.
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This story was covered in Restitution Shockwaves and AI’s Hollywood Heist